I don't know what my problem is these days, maybe it's because I reside with a curmudgeon who just has his first colonoscopy (Good times--luckily men are such stoic patients. Heh.) or because the economic downturn is making me wake up at night imagining myself as a hobo eating beans out of a can, huddled around a burning oil barrel, but I seem to have turned into quite the complainer. Nothing is quite good enough for me these days in my knitting world, I'm rapidly becoming a Leona Helmsley-like figure where my knitting is concerned. Or maybe I'm just off my game. Not quite sure. But all I know is that I might not finish the above picture mittens.
The Backstory: I bought the Morehouse Merino Striped Mitten Duo kit at Maryland Sheep and Wool in May, 2007 and recently found it again on the third floor, a geographical location that is soon to be deemed 'where perfectly respectable yarn goes to die'. I took it out earlier this week and thought it would be fun to make some mother/daughter matching mittens, because I still have one daughter that doesn't tell me things like "when we're in public, don't speak to me".
Well right away I knew there was trouble--winding the yarn went at a snails pace as the yarn kept breaking. Upon further inspection it seemed fine, but once knitting with it, even the slightest tug made it come apart. I also noticed that the yarn felt drier than usual, almost as is if had decomposed and broken down, composition-wise. If you look at the green ball up close, doesn't the texture seem moth ball-y? Is my scientific vocab just flooring you at this point? In any case, this little incident has me wondering whether yarn has a shelf life or not. I remember my grandma drinking Tab from the late 1960s in the early 80s and there not being a problem, so I guess I'm just wondering whether yarn has the same....er...resilience. Does it?
I will finish this post with another little riddle for my American friends who are getting ready for family funtimes at Thanksgiving.
Q: What's the only thing worse than spending Thanksgiving with a right wing relative after an Obama defeat?
A: Spending Thanksgiving with a right wing relative after an Obama victory! Happy Thanksgiving everybody...
Wait, did I write this post? Who's the grump here?! That's too bad because I spied those mittens on Flickr and thought they were so cute! I say you keep going with them.
ReplyDeleteYour riddle made me snort water out of my nose so that gives you bonus points.
Did the Curmudeon repeat himself when he awoke from his "procedure." I remember my mom asking the same questions over and over again. There would be a pause and then, "Hey, can we get lunch on the way home?" Yes, as I told you the last five times you asked!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Hurray, I'm glad I'm not the only complainer. In fact, if I even say "Sweetpea . . . ", he answers with "What's wrong now?". Too bad about that yarn - because that mitten sure is pretty. I'm hoping yarn does not have a shelf life - because a great portion of my stash is older than 2007!!
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that there is nothing that Tab won't outlast. That stinks about the yarn though. Maybe it was bad yarn from the start? I don't think it should do that in only a few short years.
ReplyDeleteLove the mittens though.
Ha on your thanksgiving riddle! I'm so headed into that situation tomorrow... and since I'm pregnant I can't drink nearly enough wine to make the situation even mildly tolerable.
ReplyDeleteluckily my father-in-law (who i really like by the way) is insanely outnumbered (which really doesn't matter except that one of those who outnumbers him is his wife)and horribly uninformed. i think he votes republican because he hates ted kennedy.
ReplyDeleteYou know what I'm finding incredible liberating this year? Spending Thanksgiving with NO family members. Ahhhh.
ReplyDeleteYarn: I dunno, give it a bath in some conditioner?
I'm kind of glad I am not the only one having visions of hobo-dom...whew! The mittens are pretty even if the yarn is pissing you off...ugh! Happy Turkey Day!
ReplyDeleteHmmm... I'm guessing it was bad yarn from the get-go. Maybe contact Morehouse? The mittens look cute as can be, though.
ReplyDeleteGuess what? My FIL, a lifelong Republican, switched over and voted for Obama.
You make grumpiness amusing for the rest of us, at least. I'm just about to enter 'Bah-humbug'-dom here in the UK. On another note, so glad I'm not the only one who embarrasses The Daughter. Mine makes me turn down the car stereo and close all the windows, even in the heat of summer, when we are within a five mile radius of school, just in case one of her friends should know that Mum likes Blondie and Bruce Springsteen. The shame!
ReplyDeleteLove the Thanksgiving riddle - it's funny 'cause it's true.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you!
oh pooh about the mittens!!
ReplyDeleteHope you had a fun Thanksgiving. :)
A shelf life for yarn? I dunno. Sounds to me like something got to the yarn and nibbled on it (though I'm sure you had it in a secure location, right?) or it wasn't finished enough to hold together when it was produced. That's one reason why I don't spin singles yarns. I'm too afraid they'll fall apart on me.
ReplyDeleteSome say grumpy, I say refreshingly tart. It's all about perspective.
ReplyDeleteTab rocks! I still buy it. So does my sister. It's damn expensive though for a 12 pack.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's anything that could kill Tab. All that yarn breaking would make me complain too. I got to say to my right wing relatives, "So, how do you like living in a blue state?" Smirk.
ReplyDeleteI've heard many people talk about the con's of knitting singles, one of them being that the yarn can lose its twist and break.... anywho... those have to be the cutest mittens I've seen! And my theory with my children is, they are going to all end up in therapy anyway. They might as well have something good to talk about. "my mother knit mittens *sob* that matched mine *sniffle* and it was horrible! *sniffle* *sniffle* *sob* *sob* our hands where warm!!"
ReplyDeleteHope ya had a happy, happy Turkey day! : )
Oh, trust me, sister, you are not the only one in a major funk these days.
ReplyDeleteOh, lord. If yarn has a "shelf life" I am in deep trouble. I've been planning for a stash that lasts through retirement (or a nuclear war, or whatever else might keep me from buying yarn for the rest of my life).
ReplyDeleteThe mittens really are cute, though. If you can muddle through and complete them, a little worn-in-the-snow felting ought to strengthen them right up.
P.S. I started Selbu Modern (my first color work). I blame you.
P.P.S. Blogger is being kind of gumpy as well... the word verification I've got is shockingly close to a naughty word!
I love the mittens. Too bad about the subpar yarn, because the results are adorable. I say you should just plunge ahead!!
ReplyDeleteIf it's any consolation, the nearly finished mittens look pretty. I've had a similar experience with Morehouse merino (icky icky texture but not quite breaky). Maybe it would give you some satisfaction to chuck the yarn into your hobo oil barrel bonfire? Burning naughty yarn at the stake does wonders for a crabby knitter.
ReplyDeleteLove the riddle. My parents battled with my sibling and I during the whole elections (they dislike Obama and we love him). Thanksgiving was super fun because of that :).
ReplyDeleteHope your Thanksgiving was wonderful!
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should start reading the ball band more closely. Do you think somewhere in all those numbers, they've snuck in an expiration date? Sorry your yarn is sad :(
knittymuggins
That does make Thanksgiving challenging. That being said, and all complaining aside, those are some damn cute mittens.
ReplyDeleteWhile I concur about spending time with right wing relatives...at least your father didn't make a joke about needing a penis reduction surgery in front of you and your friends, as happened with me. AWKWARD! :)
I once heard that the early version of superwash wool had a shelf life. Other than that, all I've heard is that wool is fragile if dried out too much, and steaming it gently can help restore its strength. I'm trying to knit mitts from some fragile mystery wool and it's a nuisance. I plan to steam them and then use conditioner (they're itchy too).
ReplyDeleteNope, I think it's just Morehosue yarn. I bought some for the Shark mitts -- it split horribly, and something in the yarn caused a reaction to my skin. I chucked it into the garbage and used Lambs Pride worsted.
ReplyDelete